Erised
by HeatherGrey07
Summary: The classroom was bare, stripped of everything except a single mirror standing in the corner. The mirror had ornate gold and silver around it, framing a floor-length piece of glass. The only hint to what it has occurred is the etched words above the top of the glass. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." Luna read it out loud to herself, furrowing her brow.


The prompt I got this time from Quidditch League Fanfiction Comp was not my favorite. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, and made me create a scene that had to be magical and not sad/realistic like I normally do. But the end result actually turned out better than anything in my wildest dreams. I used prompts 4 and 11, and the word count totaled 1152. I hope you comment, favorite, and follow. But most of all, enjoy!

—

Luna was confused, and very lonely. Here she was, just two weeks into her Hogwarts career and already no one would talk to her. The worst part was she didn't know why. All she had done on the first day was sat down amongst her new Ravenclaw classmates and began to talk about Nargles, assuming that they would understand. After all, they were supposed to be the smart kids, the ones who understand all the other intellectuals. Instead, they just laughed at in her face.

"Nargles!" They taunted in her face, bring her to tears. "Someone shouldn't have been placed in Ravenclaw, she's loony!"

To this day Luna can still recall how there laughter sounded in her ears, or how her sobs sounded that night in the shower. What has she done wrong besides be herself?

At home, she had always been raised to believe that if she kept true to herself, she would attract the right people to be her friends. That her oddness would match perfectly with someone else's one day, and that day would be when she arrived at Hogwarts.

But judging from the stares, laughter, and snide comments she got whenever she approached anyone at the school, that really wasn't working out. Luna wasn't discouraged though, even though the words hurt and the laughter haunting. She was determined that everything would work out in the end, she just was a little frustrated in the moment. The feeling of determination, as admirable as it was, found it self to be fleeting and hard to remember most days.

In Luna's bouts of loneliness, she found herself exploring the castle, wandering down the never-ending hallways and encountering the hidden entities in its walls. But nothing compared to what she found one fateful February evening when she ducked into a random classroom.

The classroom was bare, stripped of everything except a single mirror standing in the corner. The mirror had ornate gold and silver around it, framing a floor length piece of glass. The only hint to what is was occurred in the etched words above the top of the glass. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." Luna read it out loud to herself, furrowing her brow in confusion at the words. But, Luna hadn't been born yesterday. Her Dad had always told her that if you can't read something forwards, read it backwards. "I show not your face but your heart's desire." Luna said next after titling her head around, a small smile coming to her lips. She was beginning to catch on to what this mysterious mirror was up to. But what she wasn't expecting to see when she looked at her reflection was a familiar blonde girl, who looked to be 17.

"Who are you?" Little Luna said out loud, not expecting any sort of answer. Her eyes, her face, her smile seemed like something Luna had seen before. Yet she couldn't put her finger on it.

"You." The reflection simply stated, in a voice identical to Luna's. In that moment, Luna knew she was telling the truth. But, this meant that what Luna wanted most was herself?

"I desire myself?" The younger girl said quietly, confusion on her face.

"You desire other people, friends." The older girl replied, a kind smile on her face.

"But you aren't other people?" The little girl asked again, still processing the information she was just given.

"I, unlike most others' reflections, am not here to show you what you want. But to tell you how to achieve it."

"Great! That means you give me any advice. I just can't seem to find anyone who wants to spend more then a couple of minutes with me?" Little Luna trailed off, looking at her shoes and not at her reflection in embarrassment. The older girl laughed a little.

"Well, more like tell you what you shouldn't do."

"Well, what is it?" The girl demanded at the mirror, and her older self knelt down to be in eye level with her younger self.

"I know there is a determination in you, one to find others like you. One that puts it above all else. But don't worry, and don't try too hard. The right people will come to you when you least expect it, and you will do amazing things with them, change the world with them." The figure said as she placed her hand on the glass, meeting the younger girl's so their hands lined up through the glass.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I've told you, I'm you but older. I know what happens to you, trust me."

"But, in a mirror?"

"Though am I?" The older figure said with a wink, as younger Luna could feel something appear in her pocket.

"Huh?" The little one asked, pulling out the slip of paper. "Never change, it will all work out in the end." She read out loud, a smile ghosting her face. She looked back up at the mirror, only to find her older self gone from view. The only thing the young girl could see was herself, staring back at her.

—

It was cloudy outside when Luna ventured outside, eight years after her encounter with her older self. No longer was she the scared little girl who stared at the Mirror of Erised all those years ago, in fear of never having any friends. The woman she looked back at her now was confident and secure in herself, as well as her position in the world. She had fought and helped win arguably the Wizarding War's biggest battle, as well as surviving being kidnapped by the very group causing so much damage and protected vulnerable children from their clutches. Showing others and herself just how much courage and strength she possessed in her body.

But she still could reach in her pocket and pull out a small note, with it's familiar curvy script. She used to hold in her palm whenever she felt alone, or she started to believe she actually was loony. It's words of determination never ceased to inspire and motivate her for better tomorrows, making her forget any self-doubt in her mind. A smile graced her face as she put the note back and starred at the grey sky.

Everyone wished their older self could give them advice. But in the case of Luna Lovegood, and thanks to some foreign, magical force, she actually did.


End file.
